Chapter 194: Striking Back Personally
[Chapter 194: Striking Back Personally]
[Who would've thought that a luxury brand heavyweight would actually target a niche brand?]
[Today, Rihanna and Lady Gaga made it clear they were distancing themselves from sTray. Ryan definitely didn't pull that out of thin air.]
[Has Louis Vuitton really hit rock bottom?]
[I'm just a bystander, but this time I'm siding with this star!]
[Who do you think you are, a bystander? Last month you were posting Ryan's EP like a fan. Ryan hasn't presented any evidence yet, so who's to say what's true or false?]
[I'm not taking sides; I can't afford any of that stuff anyway.]
Within one hour of Ryan's statement being released, this little piece of writing had gone viral online. A rising star clashed with a top luxury brand, and this beef was definitely more engaging than the usual rapper feuds.
...
Minutes later, responses from Louis Vuitton employees began to appear on Twitter.
[It's a clever marketing tactic, but he probably forgot that doing this will tarnish Louis Vuitton's reputation, and he might face a lawsuit.] This account was verified as an employee from the Louis Vuitton headquarters.
[A certain LV marketing executive stated: Using such trivial metrics to mislead the public is ridiculous. As far as I know, Louis Vuitton has never targeted a competitor like this; instead, it's other competitors who've done this to Louis Vuitton.]
Many people began speculating about who this "competitor" might be. The person didn't specify but subtly hinted at another brand pressuring its corporate supplier to choose between them or Louis Vuitton. It didn't take long for someone to dig up that it was Gucci.
These replies were within Ryan's expectations; overall, there were still quite a few people supporting him. For Ryan, this was just the beginning. He wrote two more pieces; the first one mentioned some names, while the second included others.
Ryan decided to wait until Louis Vuitton responded before releasing the second piece, which had Lydia's name on it.
Then Ryan's phone began to ring off the hook. Media outlets like Entertainment Weekly, major television networks, newspapers, and fashion magazines reached out to Paula and Ryan, expressing their desire to interview him. They hinted that they could leverage their influence to help Ryan spread the word but also made it clear they wouldn't show bias. It felt like a quid pro quo. However, Ryan turned them all down, noting that the internet was far more effective than those magazines could ever be.
...
On Louis Vuitton's side, there was no response that night.
After the concert, Ryan went to pick up Taylor from her shift.
Taylor learned about the situation and instantly lost her smile, her face now full of concern. "By filing a complaint like this, you might get completely blackballed by LVMH."
"Enemies won't show any mercy just because you surrender first," Ryan shook his head.
Taylor nodded, but she didn't say much more.
Once at the hotel, she immediately pulled out some of her Louis Vuitton accessories, including a large checkered suitcase. She tossed all the items into the suitcase, took a few photos, and sat back down at her computer.
Shortly after, a photo appeared on all of Taylor's social media accounts, captioned, "Packing on tour, also tossing some trash into the bin."
The image only featured her LV luggage, and the message was clear.
Taylor was quick to take a stand.
...
The next day, Ryan released the second statement online. This time, it wasn't just a one-sided complaint; he mentioned several names, including the Hilton sisters, claiming LV had called these people, pressuring them to choose sides.
Within an hour, Paris Hilton posted a response online: [This is a private matter; I can't comment.] She neither denied nor confirmed the accuracy of Ryan's piece.
She even called Ryan directly, sounding frantic. "Don't drag me into this; I can't help you!"
Paris was not one to engage in anything that could harm her reputation, even slightly. Not just Paris, but everyone mentioned in Ryan's document stayed silent, with not one stepping forward to corroborate his claims.
...
By the afternoon, LV's legal department posted a statement, indicating that they had filed lawsuits against Ryan in both the U.S. and France.
The opinion began to shift. Many people felt Ryan was becoming paranoid.
At that point, Ryan was in Portland, Oregon, with Taylor, who had been on the phone a lot during the drive.
"I've contacted a lawyer for you; Uncle Jesse has already connected you with a few who specialize in reputation lawsuits," Taylor said, putting down her phone.
Ryan chuckled, indicating he didn't need them.
"Do you have something up your sleeve?" Taylor sensed something through Ryan's casual demeanor.
Ryan nodded. "You'll see tomorrow."
He first took Taylor to the Rose Quarter Theater in Portland. The stage had been completely set up, but no one was there for equipment tuning.
Having had the initial experience, Ryan didn't let his guard down and called for the tour manager.
Before heading to London, Taylor had let go of the previous tour manager and, through fan forums, found a middle-aged man named Robert Allen, who had worked at a local theater in Nashville.
He looked a bit unassuming, with gray curly hair, glasses, and he came over holding a walkie-talkie in one hand and a burger in the other.
"Mr. Rivers, all the tuning work has been completed; it was done yesterday," Robert Allen said.
"Completed yesterday?" Ryan seemed skeptical.
"Yes, Team B finished the stage setup, and they left last night for Las Vegas. They should already be setting up the stage there, while Team A is in Los Angeles for final adjustments. I need to head over there shortly for a final check," Robert said, taking a bite of his burger, speaking somewhat muffled.
"Didn't you eat?" Ryan asked.
He shook his head. "Just feeling a bit hungry."
Ryan figured this guy was fond of high-calorie food, but hearing he was organized with everything gave him some relief.
...
That night, Ryan received a call from Anna Wintour.
"Ryan, I've reached out to LV's PR head. They said they would drop the lawsuit if you delete your posts and claim you misunderstood the facts," Anna informed him over the phone.
She wasn't acting as a lobbyist for LV; instead, she was proactively providing Ryan with an escape route.
Ryan laughed, indicating he didn't need that.
...
The following day, Ryan and Taylor made their way to Los Angeles, where Ryan posted his third update.
It was similar to the second one but included a few new names, including Lydia and Karlie Kloss.
...
Soon enough, Lydia came forward, confirming Ryan's claims. [What Ryan said is true; LV indeed called me, and he has already mentioned the conversation.]
She even attached a call record displaying an internal LV number.
[The reason why I clarified this matter is very simple. Others obviously won't come forward due to their own interests, but someone always needs to stand up. Objectivity and fairness are the motto of Hearst Media Group and the principles that I must abide by as a member of the Hearst family.]
Ryan noticed that Lydia had intentionally called attention to her Hearst family background, likely hoping to bolster her image.
Ryan began to realize Lydia was more than just a privileged young lady chasing a star's dream; this was becoming a significant media intersection.
...
Not only Lydia, but Karlie Kloss also shared evidence: a text message she received from Phineas, indicating LV's demands, suggesting LV had reached out to Phineas.
This took Ryan by surprise, considering Karlie was now one of Dior's most critical opening models, and both Dior and LV shared the same parent company. Her actions could potentially jeopardize her job and even her career.
Unlike Lydia, who had a powerful family backing her, Karlie was putting everything on the line.
...
Moments later, Karlie texted Ryan: [Shit, I didn't know Lydia would come out. I thought no one would speak up for you. Is it too late to backtrack?]
Ryan replied, [It's no use; it's already been screenshotted.]
[Geez, you made me lose another job! (laughs)]
...
At Dior's headquarters, Delphine was passing time, observing the online spat between Ryan Rivers and LV, and had been privately keeping an eye on the situation.
On one hand, she felt Antoine was moving too quickly, though she also felt anxious for Ryan.
[Now two people have come forward. I bet LV's PR team is scrambling.]
[Before, the LV staff swore there was nothing to it. Now, we can't believe anything the insiders say.]
[Exactly. LV has met its match this time; they have faced challenges similar to this before.]
What's going on? Delphine was surprised to find that the discussion on this matter had reversed again in just two days. When Delphine saw Lydia and Karlie Kloss post their proof, she finally grasped the entire context of the situation.
She noted the timing of both women's statements, which were only half an hour apart.
Then, observing Ryan's three statements sent in three releases, purposely leaving the evidence for last, she contemplated.
Delphine quickly realized that Ryan's "complaint" was merely a probe; he had orchestrated everything from the start.
Delphine began scouring his prior news, including the buzz surrounding his relationship with Taylor, the proposal after releasing a new collaboration, and the initial viral moment of Harlem Shake things up on the internet. All signs pointed to one conclusion...
This star was a master of manipulating public opinion!
Antoine drew the short straw in this encounter. Delphine smirked, knowing her father would undoubtedly berate Antoine for this mishap.
It was too good of an opportunity not to exploit.
Determined, Delphine resolved to strike at her brother personally.
"Get me in touch with this Ryan Rivers; I have something to discuss with him," she called over her secretary.
*****
https://www.patreon.com/Sayonara816.